APPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR IN CHURCH

Prayer in church is communal prayer, in which clergy and laity alike participate. We all, clergy and laity, make up the visible, earthly, Church. In the temple there are before us images of those in the church Triumphant, who are invisibly present with us; at their head is the Queen of heaven and earth, the Most-holy Mother of God. And in the form of His Body and Blood, seated upon His Holy Throne in the Altar is the Head of the entire Church, Our Shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ.

With what kind of awe and piety should we stand before such an exalted gathering! The Temple of God, is God’s House, and in it an especially prayerful attitude should prevail. The responsibility for this is borne not only by clergy and choir, but by every individual who comes to pray. Loud conversations severely interferes with those who are attempting to immerse themselves in the words of the Service, and to those who are striving at that time to "get their soul in order" in preparation for confession.

Not only loud conversations disturb the peace of the temple. One is often struck by the fact that during divine services, even during the most important parts of the services, some people (especially the young), stand in church with their hands in their pockets, or wander from one side of the church to the other, right in front of the reader or priest who is reading. Others sit on the bench with their legs crossed… this is absolutely impermissible.

Parents sometimes give a whole prosphora to even the youngest of children, who then crumble it all over the floor. People step on these crumbs, and involuntarily trample the sacred bread. Would it not be better for the parents themselves to give their children prosphora piece by piece, and to see that it not be crumbled? Sometimes children come into the temple with chewing gum in their mouths. We ask parents to instill in their children that this is absolutely impermissible.

We remind you of several rules of external prayerful behavior to be followed in order to maintain good order in the temple:

1. Come to the church on time, for the beginning of the service.
2. Upon entering the church, sign yourself with the sign of the Cross three times.
3. Do not remain in front of the entrance to the church; for this makes it difficult for others to enter. Those who want to pay membership dues or to carry on any other financial transactions (other than purchasing candles) should do so either before or after the service, and under no circumstances during Divine Services, for this disturbs the order in and splendor of the House of God.
4. Ancient church practice demands that men stand in the right side of the church, and women in the left.
5. Conversations are not permitted in the temple of God, either during or after the Divine Service.
6. In church, unnecessary handshakes, as well as kissing of women’s hands is absolutely impermissible.
7. The faithful come to church in clothing appropriate to their gender. What may be permitted on the street or at the beach is entirely inappropriate in church. Under no circumstances should one come to services in such attire. Immodest attire disrupts good order in the temple. Women dressed in short skirts [above the knee], in slacks, or in outfits with bare shoulders or bare arms, may not attend church services. We remind our youth and their parents that they may not come to church wearing T-shirts (especially those imprinted with loud slogans or pictures of pop idols), or in sneakers. Boys over the age of 7 should not be seen wearing shorts in the temple.
8. Those who come to church services late must make their way forward quietly, without pushing the faithful.
9. One should not move about, purchase candles or light them, during the following important times during the church services.

During the Liturgy

1. At the small (with the Gospel) and great (with the Chalice) entrances.
2. During the reading of the prayer for the salvation of Russia.
3. During the Epistle and Gospel.
4. During the singing of the Cherubic hymn (From the words Let us who mystically represent the Cherubim" to the final thrice-sung "Alleluia."
5. During the eucharistic canon (from the exclamation "The doors, the doors, in wisdom let us attend," throughout the singing of the Creed "I believe in one God.." throughout the entire canon, during which is sung "A mercy of peace…" until the conclusion of the hymn to the Mother of God "Meet it is," or, on major feasts, the irmos sung instead of "Meet it is.") This is the most exalted portion of the Liturgy, and throughout this period there must be no wandering about the temple or extinguishing of candles.
6. During the singing of the "Our Father."

During the All-night Vigil

1. When the priest and deacon come out to cense at vespers.
2. During the Six Psalms. During this reading, when all electrical lights in the temple are put out, it is forbidden either to light or to extinguish candles.
3. At the bringing out of the Holy Gospels, and during the reading of the Gospel.
4. During the singing of "More honorable than the Cherubim…" and during the Great Doxology ("Glory to God in the highest…").

Parish Life
May, 1998

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